Eco-lifestyle market in Asia set to grow bigger

SINGAPORE: When it comes to sustainability, cities in Asia seem to be playing catch up. According to research by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, of the 26 top cities globally, only Mumbai ranked in the top ten - out of seven cities in Asia on the list. And while experts say that governments are pushing ahead with policy change, it is the man on the street that can make the difference. But with incomes in Asia on the rise this could be changing - could consumers in China not only become the worlds largest consumer of luxury goods, but also the world's largest consumers of eco-brands? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting, said: "In countries with higher income levels, like Japan, Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong, and some of the higher middle end income countries in the region - we see more concern over green issues and ecological issues. "Sometimes that is expressed in ...